YOUR BIGGEST WEDDING EVER!

For the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.  Revelation 19:7

In Bible days weddings were different from ours today.  First negotiations were made between the two fathers and a dowry or gift of livestock/money to secure the bride was agreed upon.  Next, when the couple was of age there was a public betrothal ceremony where the bride would either accept or reject the groom’s proposal.  If she accepted, the betrothal was as binding as marriage, and each went to their separate homes to spend a year preparing for their actual wedding day.  Finally the groom arrived at the bride’s home at an unannounced late hour to take her and the wedding party to his father’s house where he also lived.  There the marriage union was completed, and a seven day celebration followed.

The New Testament uses this picture of marriage to illustrate an even greater relationship – being united with Jesus Christ in eternal salvation.  Jesus is the heavenly Bridegroom.  We who are born again are called the bride of Christ.  The Bridegroom invaded this planet to pay the spiritual dowry for our lost souls by dying on Calvary’s cross (Romans 5:8).  Only He could pay that price.  After three days He rose again from the dead to prove that He is God and that His sacrifice was sufficient to redeem us.  He is the only way that we can get to the Father’s house of heaven (John 14:6).  However, even though the price for our union has been paid and Jesus longs to be our Savior, there must be the “I do!” on our part.  We must say “Yes!” to Jesus and reject all other unspiritual “suitors” and ways to eternal life.  The offer is available to anyone and everyone who receives Christ as Lord and Savior (John 1:12; 3:16).  The simple truth is if the Bride (us) does not receive the Groom (Christ), this wedding’s over!

Bob Kulp

MEEKNESS IS NOT WEAKNESS

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Matthew 11:29

The KJV translation has “meek” instead of “gentle.” What is “meek?” The world’s viewpoint of meekness is against the biblical viewpoint. The world’s viewpoint is not that of the Lord’s. The world’s concept of meekness is the concept of spinelessness, of subservience, of a man who is effeminate. When people think of the meek man, they think of that universal, submissive husband we used to see on the comic pages: Casper Milquetoast. What a lovely name for a meek man! I think of all of the prototypes of the submissive husband, Casper Milquetoast, the meek man. That’s the idea that the world has of meekness. The world’s Beatitudes are “blessed are the mighty, blessed are the strong, blessed are the colorful, blessed are the radical” and various other types. There is LeRoy DeRoche’s phrase: “Nice guys finish last.” The world’s Beatitudes are contrary to the Beatitudes of the Lord Jesus, and their concept of meekness is not the concept of the Bible. So, what does meekness mean according to God?

This is one of the great Greek ethical words. It referred, in some contexts to a balance between excessive anger and excessive angerlessness, or passivity. In other words, if you can think of an average between the man who blows his top, and the man who is utterly spineless, then that was meek, in some contexts. I think that you could say that righteous indignation was the expression of meekness in that usage. But it also had the sense of humility, so that the meek man was the man who possessed humility—the kind of man who saw himself before God, as he should see himself before God and that led him to humility. The most interesting usage of this word, I think, was the fact that it was reserved for domesticated animals. For example, a horse that had been tamed after having been wild would be called a meek horse. Still powerful, but now under control. It was used of wind in a similar way. Brethren, are you meek, like Jesus?

Ike Graham

UNLIKE ANY OTHER

To you it was shown that you might know that Yahweh, He is God; there is no other besides Him.

Deuteronomy 4:35

God created the starfish with some incredible features. It has no brain and no blood. If it loses an arm it can regrow a new one. It also has two stomachs which it can push outside its body to engulf and digest its prey. Because of this, the starfish stands in a category all by itself.

When studying God we recognize His uniqueness. For example, Scripture states, “There is no one like You among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like Yours” (Psalm 86:8). What this means is that God stands in a category all by Himself. No one can match Him in His goodness, His faithfulness, His truth, His power, His knowledge, His love, His mercy, etc.

Such truth about God has some very practical values for us. First, He is not to be treated as any other so-called gods. “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3). He is not a good luck charm or a genie. Second, He is to be feared. I’ve often thought of it like this. There are only two categories: Creator and created. Only God fits in the category of Creator. Everything else, including me, fits in the category of created. Because I am part of His creation, I have no right to tell the Creator what is right or wrong. Nebuchadnezzar said it this say, “And all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, but He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can strike against His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’” (Daniel 4:35)

Philip Moeller